Muscular Adverse Events Associated with Statins

Abstract

Statins are an important group of lipid lowering medications that have helped to control cardiovascular mortality globally. Muscular side effects, mostly myalgia, is a known adverse event of statins. Intense physical activity, kidney or liver failure, hypothyroidism, inherited or metabolic myopathies, and some medications, are risk factors for statin-induced myalgia. Muscular adverse events are more often observed with higher doses or with the use of lipophilic statins. Much is not known about the precise mechanisms responsible for the statin related muscular adverse effects, a few hypothesis have been suggested. It is important to measure plasma creatine phosphokinase in subjects who encounter myalgia while being treated with statins. In this review we present some general safety information on muscular adverse events caused due to statins.